$15.5 billion wasted in Afghanistan

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
After 10 months of research, SIGAR sent a letter back to the congressmen that estimated the waste at $15.5 billion between SIGAR's inception in 2008 and Dec. 31, 2017, or 29 percent of the spending it audited. In the letter, obtained by NBC News, Special Inspector General John Sopko describes the figure as "likely … only a portion of the total waste, fraud, abuse and failed efforts."

SIGAR noted that more than $4 billion dollars intended for "stabilization programs" in Afghanistan instead led to "exacerbated conflicts, enabled corruption and bolstered support for insurgents".

And the $7.3 billion spent to stem the Afghan drug trade has done very little to stop the "production and exportation of illicit drugs," according to SIGAR, which notes that opium production is now "at the highest levels since 2002."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/watchdog-says-u-s-wasted-more-15-billion-past-11-n894701
 

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
I'd be interested in following that money to see where it leads. The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if this isn't part of the reason why all the political swamp creatures are having such a fit about Trump kicking over the log.

Because of course we all know that there's way more to this story than what is being reported.
 

Lurk

Happy Creepy Ass Cracka
The story says we've been in Afghanistan for 17 years.

troops-troops-desktop.jpg
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Do you suppose the $15.5B flowed at the same rate as American troops went into A'stan?

That break in the line before the acceleration of troops represents the beginning of the most recent 8-year administration.
 
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Gilligan

#*! boat!
PREMO Member
Afghanistan has always been a money pit...always will be. I wish we could find a way to simply get out.
 

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
View attachment 123915
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Do you suppose the $15.5B flowed at the same rate as American troops went into A'stan?

That break in the line before the acceleration of troops represents the beginning of the most recent 8-year administration.

What is the graph supposed to represent? There's no x or y-axis description nor a link.

Regardless, the $15.5 billion was calculated during a period between 2008 and 2017, does your graph show a surplus in troops during that time frame?

After 10 months of research, SIGAR sent a letter back to the congressmen that estimated the waste at $15.5 billion between SIGAR's inception in 2008 and Dec. 31, 2017, or 29 percent of the spending it audited.
The U.S. has now had troops in Afghanistan for 17 years

The $15.5 billion represents waste, abuse, and fraud. None of which should be acceptable to taxpayers.
 

black dog

Free America
By the way Afghanistan is lucky I am not President.
My first move would be to bomb every poppy field there or fill them with agent orange, and starve them out.

Yep, I would have left it and Iraq molten glass. Thats how we used to fight wars.
And the worthwhile mineral deposits we would now own.
 

Hijinx

Well-Known Member
Silly, how are we supposed to win hearts and minds that way?

The same way the Russians did when they left and the same way the Brits did when they left.
We are the only ones stupid enough to stay, let them rot in the own excrement.

They want to live in the tenth century-----let them.
 

Hessian

Well-Known Member
Silly, how are we supposed to win hearts and minds that way?

Y'know Vrai...I have used some key illustrations on that point in my US Hist course.
*Philippine Insurrection: HEAVY losses and entanglement by 1899-1901. It faded after that with a series of policy & tactical changes. Within 40 years,...thousands of Filipinos are fighting at our side & dying to protect escaped POWs in 1941-45.
*Vietnam: The HMONG and other tribes proved remarkably loyal ever since our Green Beret went among them and worked on medical/agricultural/ and tactical projects. We had to leave most of them behind when we pulled dout,...but they were perhaps our best allies in a messy situation.

We can try to walk away from Afghanistan. I am NOT aware of any faction that is solidly loyal to the cause of peace/stability/rights. BUT...I will always remember the photos of the joy on the faces of the women when they voted...or the girls in school which had been denied for so long. Do we have a tribe/faction that is loyal? maybe, maybe not,...but we may have a GENDER which appreciates our presence.
 

Lurk

Happy Creepy Ass Cracka
What is the graph supposed to represent? There's no x or y-axis description nor a link.

Regardless, the $15.5 billion was calculated during a period between 2008 and 2017, does your graph show a surplus in troops during that time frame?


The $15.5 billion represents waste, abuse, and fraud. None of which should be acceptable to taxpayers.

It's US troop levels in country.
 

BOP

Well-Known Member
Afghanistan has always been a money pit...always will be. I wish we could find a way to simply get out.

Do like the Russians did after they got their ass handed to them: declare victory and go the hell home.
 
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